A Continuing medical education (CME) was organised on treatment of drug addiction by Association of Private Psychiatry (Punjab and Chandigarh branches) at a city hotel on Sunday.

A Continuing medical education (CME) was organised on treatment of drug addiction by Association of Private Psychiatry (Punjab and Chandigarh branches) at a city hotel on Sunday.

The theme of the conference was 'Opiate addiction: It's current status in Punjab'. A city-based psychiatrist Rajiv Gupta was the organising chairperson of the conference and Dr G Prasad Rao from Hyderabad was the chief guest on the occasion.

Rao said Punjab was facing a unique situation in terms of treating huge number of addicts and psychiatrists in the private sector were working overtime in treating these patients. He stated that clear guidelines were needed for the treatment and rehabilitation of the drug addicts.Dr Atul Ambekar from AIIMS was also invited to deliver a lecture on policy matters of treating such patients.

Dr Puneet Kathuria, president of Indian Association of Private Psychiatry (Punjab and Chandigarh), said the psychiatrist in the private practice, who form a major chunk of treatment givers to the addicts, were available for partnership and helping the administration and for public-private partnership to realise the dream of chief minister Parkash Singh Badal to make a drug-free state.

A panel discussion was also head by senior psychiatrists from the region where in Dr Parmod Kumar from Silver Oaks, SAS Nagar, remarked that the private psychiatry was doing a remarkable job in providing treatment to the drug addiction population of Punjab.